86 snow. 



towards the land. There was indeed an infinite 

 expanse of ice, but every dark spot of water 

 encouraged the hope that an off-shore wind 

 would soon place us in a navigable channel. 

 Accordingly as the masses separated from time 

 to time, the hawsers were got out, and the ship 

 hove between them, and thus, about 10 h p. m., 

 we suddenly emerged into a free space. This 

 proved to be nearly four miles long ; but there 

 was no opening beyond it, and again, in the 

 morning of September 6th, all was closed. The 

 wind freshened, but brought with it snow, the 

 most unwelcome thing which could befall us ; 

 nevertheless the warps were tried, and with them 

 and the sails together we managed to push, 

 perhaps a mile altogether, towards the land. It 

 was then noon, and hazy; no land in sight ; ther- 

 mometer 29° + • The effect of the E. S. E. 

 breeze was shown in the slow setting of the ice 

 upon the coast ; and, as many of the pieces were 

 of sufficient dimension to entitle them to the 

 name of floes, their motion created occasional 

 lanes, which, if we had been able to see but a 

 few hundred yards ahead, might perhaps have 

 been followed with advantage. Even with all 

 the uncertainty and risk, I confess the tempt- 

 ation to gain a single mile was almost irresistible. 

 That the prudent course was the best was soon, 



